The glycemic index, or GI, measures how “high” or “low” blood sugar levels change after consuming carbohydrate-containing food. The subject is compared to a reference food chart – mainly “white bread” or “glucose”. Foods with high GIs, such as ripened fruits and mashed potatoes, break down easily and thus result in high blood sugar levels. On the other hand, foods with low GIs, such as legumes and dried beans, break down gradually and lead to low sugar levels.
Dietitians advise people with diabetes to use the glycemic index as a guide in selecting the carbohydrate-containing foods in their regular meals. They are advised to choose foods with low or medium GIs to control their blood sugar level.
Although a GI diet can lead to reduced blood sugar levels, it is not an ideal meal-planning tool. First of all, many factors such as how a food is cooked or processed, its variety, or simply the length of time for which it has been stored, determines the exact GI value of a food. This complicates the use of GI. Secondly, low-GI foods, such as chocolate, are not always healthier than high-GI foods, such as oatmeal.
That’s why the American Diabetes Association believes that carbohydrate counting, or “balancing total carbohydrate intake with physical activity and diabetes pills or insulin”, is a better way of controlling blood glucose levels. |